READING, MA and PRINCETON, NJ – Empower Cafés, an entity with locations in both Reading and Woburn, was recently recognized by Astound Business Solutions as a Grand Prize Winner in its nationwide Small Business Sweepstakes. The annual award recognizes exceptional small businesses and non-profits across the US for their community contributions. As part of the award, Empower is receiving one year of free Internet service.
Empower Cafes owner Nicholas Face has put community involvement at the forefront of his business priorities, while honoring his own family roots.
The cafes recently instituted a unique “Business Spotlight” feature in which Empower recognizes other organizations in its home communities. Each week throughout the year, the cafes honor great organizations and businesses in the communities with special shoutouts, drink/food drops, and more.
Face has also been the owner of Active Education Inc. for over 15 years. With this organization, he established an educational activity company called Sports Zone 101. That entity partnered with more than 50 communities across New England since 2009 helping to shape the lives of hundreds of kids through positive leadership, great sportsmanship, and team play.
In addition, Face created a special tribute to his mother, Bonny, who passed away in 2020: The Bonny E. Face Memorial Scholarship Foundation honors graduating high school students with a scholarship to help with their future educational endeavors. The honoree is selected once per year, on Bonnie’s birthday, May 23rd. Bonny was a community leader who gave back to many organizations in town. Her dream was to have her own bakery or café with healthy food and drink choices for people to enjoy. Today, the Empower Cafes served many homemade goods from his mother’s recipes.
“It has been my life mission since the passing of my mother in 2020 to continue to honor her legacy and help great a positive, loving, and beautiful tribute to her,” Face said. “Having Empower Cafes allows me to continue my mom’s amazing legacy and helps to keep her spirit alive.”
“We developed the Community Impact Awards to recognize small businesses and non-profit organizations across the county who have demonstrated their exceptional commitment to community service,” said Patrick Knorr, Astound Business Solutions Chief Business Officer. “Entities like Empower Cafes deserve to be applauded for the inspiring local impacts they make every day.”
Face’s external community involvement is extensive, as an active member of the Woburn and Reading Chamber of Commerce, a longtime board member of the Reading High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and a baseball coach for many years at Reading High School.
